Ratchet device.



Y I J. P. CONSTABLE.

RATCHET DEVICE.

APPLICATION men AUG-9. 1915.

"1 ,283,470. Patent-ed Nov. 5, 1918.

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JOHN P. CONSTABLE, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR' TO NEW JERSEY PATEN T COMPANY, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, 13. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

' RATCHET DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

anism of spring motors usedfor rotating the record supports or mandrels of phonograph or talking machines.

An object of the invention is to provide a construction which will prevent rotation in one direction and will allow rotation in the opposite direction without the usual clicking and with the application of very little power.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby the breaking of the gear teeth by the ratchet or pawl is prevented.

More specifically the invention resides in providing a ratchet device or locking means which comprises a pawl engageable with a rotatable member or members, for instance, the gear or gears of the winding mechanism, in such a way that the shearing or breaking of the teeth or of the pawl will be prevented, and also in providing means Whereby the pawl will be automatically disengaged from the member or members during the winding operation or movement in one direction, this means being so arranged that it will not interfere with the winding operation or cause additional effort in winding.

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section, showingthe preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing a detail of construction.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section taken on the line H of Fig, 1.

In all of the views, like parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

Referring to Fig. 1, the phonographic base or bedplate 1 is provided adjacent one end thereof with a vertical standard 2, in the upper end of which is mounted the shaft 3 on which is rotatably mounted the mandrel 45. The end of the shaft 3 supported in standard 2 is reduced, as shown at 5, the outer end of the reduced portion being threaded and carrying a nut 6 which bears against the side of the standard. The nut 6 and the shoulder between the reduced portion 5 and the body portion of' the shaft 3 thereby prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft. Rotatably mounted upon the shaft 3 and extending from the standard 2 to the head, 7 at one end of the mandrel 1 is a member 8 which is provided with teeth to form a pinion 9. This pinion is rotated by the motor in themanner hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4t, the head 7 is provided with diametrically opposed recesses 10, in which are arranged the ends of U shaped springs 11 which are secured 111- termediate their ends to the rotatable memher 8, as by means of the radial screws 12 which are threaded through the central portions of the springs 11 into the member 8.

The motive means for driving the gear 9 and the mandrel are preferably constructed as follows:A bracket 13 extending downwardly from the bedplate 1 and a bracket 14 detachably secured to the under side of saidbedplate rotatably support a shaft 15 upon the end of which adjacent to the bracket 14 is frictionally secured a spring barrel 16. A gear 17 is secured to spring barrel 16, as by means of screws, one of which is shown at 18. A coil spring 19 arranged within the spring barrelhas one end thereof secured to the periphery of the spring barrel, as at 20, the other end of the spring being secured, as at 21, to a sleeve 22 extending within the said spring barrel and rotatably mounted upon shaft 15; The end of the sleeve 22 remote from the gear 17 is formed with a flange 23 which is secured meshing with the gear 17.

to a second. spring barrel 24;, as by means of screws, one of which is shown at 25. The spring barrel 2% is provided with a coil spring 25 which is connected thereto and to a sleeve 26 in the same manner as spring 19 is connected to the spring barrel 16 and the sleeve 22. The sleeve 26 is formed with a flange 27 similar to the flange 23, the flange 27 being secured to a third spring barrel 28 by screws, one of which is shown at 29. A coil spring 30 in the spring barrel 28 is connected to said spring barrel and to the sleeve 31 in the same manner as the coil springs already referred to are secured to the corresponding spring barrels and sleeves. The spring barrels shown are formed of sheet metal and in order to facilitate the securing of the same to the gear 17 and the flanges 23 and 27, I provide the same with cupshaped portions within each of which there is welded or secured in any suitable way a disk 32. The screws 18, 25 and 29 are threaded into the disks 32. To the sleeve 31 is secured a gear 33 from which the rotation of the sleeve 31 is imparted to the gear 9 through the train of connecting gears 31, 35, 36 and 37. A governor 38 is shown connected to the member 8 to regulate the feed of the motor. This governor is provided with a brake 39 whereby the motion of the governor and the movable parts connected thereto may be arrested.

For rewinding the motor I provide a horizontal shaft 10 which is mounted in the bracket 14: and has secured thereto a gear 41 The outer end of the shaft 1O has an internally threaded portion, shown as i1, to permit an ordinary winding crank to be secured thereto. In rewinding the motor, the shaft 10 is rotated .by the'crank (not shown) secured to the said shaft, and the rotation of the shaft 10 is imparted through the gears 11 and 17 to the spring barrel 16 and through it to the spring 19. Through the spring 19, the sleeve 22 and the spring barrel 2% are rotated to place under tension the spring 25. Through the spring 25, the sleeve 26 and spring barrel 28 are rotated to place under tension the spring 30. During the rewinding, the brake 39 is preferably positioned to hold the governor and gears 9, 37, 36, 35, 341, and 33 stationary, but if desired, the motor may be rewound during operation of the motor.

The construction above described is not claimed in the present application, but is merely for the purpose of illustrating the application of the present invention which is of general application. The present invention resides in providing a ratchet de vice for preventing the movement of the mechanism or rotation of the members, such as the gears 17 and 41, in one direction so that the springs will not unwind. For this purpose I mount .rotatably upon the shaft 10 at the side of the gear' ll a ratchet or pawl 12 having an offset portion or finger 13 extending transversely of the gears or other members and arranged to be gripped between the teeth of the gears as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The lower surface of the finger is preferably inclined as shown at 14 so that when the pawl is in clamping or gripped position the side of that tooth of the gear 17 which engages the pawl, fits closely against the lower surface. The upper surface of the finger, however, is flat and engages the tip of'a tooth of the gear 11, the'pressure thereon being directed radially so that danger of breaking the teeth is obviated. It is found that with this construction there is less likelihood of strip ping off of the teeth of the gear 17 and of breaking the finger 43 of the pawl than would be the case if the gear teeth engaged the pawl only at a single point or along a single line.

A coiled spring or gripping device 15 encircles theshaft 40, friction-ally engages the same and tends normally to grip the shaft by reason of the natural tendency of the coil to contract radially. The spring has one end in engagement with the shaft as shown and its opposite end 47 extends adi ally outwardly. and is attached to a projection 46 of the pawl. It will, therefore, be seen that the pawl 12 is normally gripped to the shaft 10 and rotates therewith and that whenthe shaft tends to rotate in one direction or when the motor springs tend to unwind the pawl moves into locked position into engagement with the teeth of the several gears. "When the shaft rotates in the opposite direction or in rewinding the pawl is rotated with the shaft until a projection Or stop 48 on the pawl engages the bracket 14. By this movement the finger 43 is moved a limited distance out of engagement with the gears and the spring loosens upon the shaft and tends to uncoil by reason of the relation of the coil to the shaft when rotating in this direction. During the rotation of the shaft in this direction or in a winding direction, however, the finger 43 will be maintained out of engagement with the gears while the shaft rotates freely within the spring 15. The friction between the shaft and coil and the location of the center of gravity of the ratchet maintains the same in unlocked position during the winding. Then the rotation of the shaft for winding is stopped there will be a tendency for the same to rotate in the reverse direction and this instantly causes the spring to grip the shaft and move the pawl back into engagement with the gear or gears.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the embodiments and featureslspecifically shown and described herein, but that such features and embodiments are subject to changes and modifications without any departure from the spirit of the invention. Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows 1. The combination of a driven member, a driving member coacting therewith, and locking means arranged to coact with said members to automatically hold the same against movement in one direction but to permit movement of said members in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a driven member, a driving member coacting therewith, and pivoted locking means arranged to coact with said members to automatically hold the same against movement in one direction but to permit movement of said members in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a driven member, a driving member, and locking means comprising a pawl arranged to be gripped be tween said members to hold the same against movement in one direction but to permit movement thereof in the opposite direction,

substantially as described.

at. The combination of a pair of relatively mo able members provided with intermeshing teeth and a pawl arranged to be automatically gripped between adjacent teeth of said members to prevent movementthereof in one direction but to permit movement thereof in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

5. The combination of movable 1116011211..

nism and locking means movable into engagement with said mechanism to prevent movement thereof in one direction, mounted upon a part of said mechanism and being gripped thereto while moving into locking position and ungripped. after being moved in the reverse direction whereby the mech anism is free to move in that direction, substantially as described.

6. The combination of movable mechanism, locking means for said mechanism comprising a device normally gripped to sald mechanism and controlled thereby whereby the locking means is moved into locking engagement with the mechanism and means for ungripping said device whereby the mechanism is free to move in one direction, substantially as described.

7. The combination of movable mechanism, locking means therefor comprising a device normally gripping said mechanism and controlled thereby whereby the locking means may be moved into and out of locking position and means for limiting the d1sengaging movement of said locking means and causing said device to ungrip whereby the mechanism is free to move in one direction, substantially as described.

8. The combination with mechanism including a rotatable member, locking means engageable with said member and comprising a device gripping a portion of said mechanism whereby when the mechanism tends to move in one direction the locking means will be moved into engagement with the rotatable member and when said mechanism moves'in the opposite direction the locking means will be disengaged, said device ungripping when it is moved in the last mentioned direction, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a rotatable member, a shaft rotatable with said member and locking means arranged toengage and disengage said member and comprising a coiled spring gripping said shaft whereby the locking meansis controlled by the movement of said shaft, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a rotatable member, a pawl adapted to engage said member to prevent rotation thereof in one direction, a shaft rotatable with said member upon which said pawl is mounted, a coiled spring normally gripping said shaft and having one end attached to said pawl whereby the pawl is engaged and disengaged by the rotation of the shaft in opposite directions and a stop fixed to said pawl to limit its disengaging movement and to cause said spring to loosen upon said shaft, substantially as described.

11. The combination of a pair of relatively movable members and locking means ar ranged to be gripped between said members tohold the same against movement in one direction but to permit movement thereof in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a pair of intermeshing gears and locking means having a finger arranged to be gripped between said gears to hold the same against relative movement, one side of said finger being inclined to engage a portion of a side of a tooth of one of the gears and the opposite side of said finger being flat and arranged to engage the tip of a tooth of the remaining gear, substantially as described.

13. The combination of a driven member, a driving member, locking means comprising a pawl arranged to be gripped between said members to hold the same against movement, and means whereby the position of said pawl is controlled by movement of said members, substantially as described.

14:. The combination of a driven member, a driving member coacting therewith, looking means comprising a pawl arranged to be gripped between said driving and driven members to hold the same against movement in one direction, and means whereby the tendency of said members to rotate in one direction holds said pawl in looking position and the rotation of said members in the opposite direction moves said pawl out of locked position, substantially as described.

15. The combination of a driven member, a driving. member coacting therewith, looking means comprising" a pawl arranged to be gripped between said driving and driven members to hold the same against movement in one direction, and means whereby the tendency of said members to rotate in one direction holds said pawl in looking position and the rotation ofsaid members in the opposite direction moves said pawl from looking position, and means limiting the movement of said pawl from looking position, substantially as described.

16. The combination of driven means, driving means coacting therewith, locking means comprising a pawl arranged to be gripped between said driven and driving means to prevent movement thereof in one direction, a spring mounted upon said driving means and gripping the same and connected to said pawl whereby the tendency of said driving means to rotate in one direction holds said pawl in looking position and its rotation in the opposite direction moves the same from locking position, and

'means for limiting the movement of said pawl from looking position and for causing said spring to loosen up on said driving means, substantially as described.

17. The combination of driven means, driving means including a shaft, locking means comprising a pawl arranged to be gripped between said driven and driving means and a spring having a coil encircling and gripping said shaft and connectedto said pawl whereby the rotation of said shaft controls said pawl, substantially as described.

18. The combination of a frame, a driven member thereon, a driving member coacting therewith and having a shaft journaled on the frame, a pawl rotatably mounted upon said shaft and provided with a finger having one side inclined to engage the side of a tooth of the driven member and a flat op posite side engaging the tip of a tooth of the driving member whereby the pawl will be gripped between said members, a coiled spring encircling the said shaft and having a free end in contact with said shaft and its opposite end connected to said pawl, said spring normally gripping the shaft whereby when said driving means is rotated in one direction the pawl will engage the members and when rotated in the opposite direction will be disengaged from said members an coacting stops on the frame-and pawl to limit the disengaging movement of said pawl and to reduce the gripping action of said spring upon said shaft whereby the members maybe easily actuated, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 5th day of August, 1915. JOHN P. CONSTABLE.

Witnesses ELMER L. WALKER, WILLIAM A. IIARDY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

